The Great Evangelical Disaster [Hardcover]

Francis A. Schaeffer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1984

Have Christians compromised their stand on truth and morality until there is almost nothing they will speak out against? Has the evangelical church itself sold out to the world? 

A provocative and challenging book—but one that is tempered by Dr. Schaeffer's deep commitment to Christ and love for the church.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Crossway Books (March 1984)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0891073094
• ISBN-13: 978-0891073093
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #599,718 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Recognized internationally for his work in Christianity and culture, Francis A. Schaeffer authored more than twenty books, which have been translated into a score of languages and sold millions worldwide. He and his wife, Edith, founded L'Abri Fellowship international study and discipleship centers. Schaeffer passed away in 1984, but his influence and legacy continue worldwide.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't Wait. Read This Now, July 9, 2002

By 

Mark Sharp (Maple Grove, MN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Great Evangelical Disaster (Paperback)

I have had this book on my shelf since 1985 (sorry Amazon.com, but it was before you were around) and was fearful of picking it up. The title, along with Franky Schaeffer's book Addicted to Mediocrity, and Franky's eventual abandonment of evangelical brand of Christianity for Eastern Orthodox, led me to believe that this might be a screed against evangelicalism. How silly was my fear. This book is a treasure!

Humbly written, full of love, strong in conviction, Dr. Schaeffer sounds a warning to all Bible-believing evangelicals of a form of theology that has, in many people's opinion, infected and killed the mainline denominations in the beginning of the 20th century. His is a warning against the Modernist (or Neo-orthodox) theology that questions Scriptural authority in matters of history and science (the cosmos).

This book is not meant as a proof text against liberal theology. It is directed at those who already believe in the infallibility of the Bible, but who are sleeping while Neo-orthodoxy spreads like a virus through out evangelical institutions. It is a call to action on behalf of those who care about the purity of the Church.

It is much more than a typical Fundamentalist call to arms though. Schaeffer places equal importance on the value of LIVING like we believe the Bible is infallible. He states with great humility, that evangelical accommodation to the spirit of our age is to blame for the negligible cultural impact we have had. This accommodation has harmed the Bible's authority every bit as much as Neo-orthodoxy. His is a call to be as ready to LIVE the Bible (with humility, prayer, and love) as well as DEFEND the Bible.

But the best part about the book is the concluding chapter called The Mark of a Christian. It is a reprint of an earlier booklet that Schaeffer wrote and could not be better placed. If the challenge herein does not cause you to re-think how you love your fellow Christian, or how unified (or un-unified) we as Christians are, then you need to check your pulse to see if there is a heartbeat. It is a must-read for all who care about these things.

If you are a liberal theologian, this is probably not your cup of tea. Nothing in here will change your mind. It is not "evidence" for a conservative theology. It merely describes the consequences of such a liberal mind set. This is a message from the General to his troops.

Don't wait 17 years to read this. Read it now.

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Evangelical Disaster, June 24, 2000

By 

P.R. Heier (Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Great Evangelical Disaster (Paperback)

Francis Schaeffer's predictions are coming true today! Schaeffer was an extraordinary apologist and evangelist. His ministry was rooted and grounded in the basic tenet that the Bible IS the Word of God. It is inspired and sufficient. He was one of the few to see that modern evangelicalism was quickly drifting from its biblical moorings. This volume points out numerous ways in which the church started to drift even during Schaeffer's lifetime. New authors such as David Wells are attesting to the validity of Schaeffer's well written prophecy. If you're interested in evangelicalism or the debate concerning the inerrancy and authority of the Bible then you will love this volume. This was the forerunner of all modern discussions concerning the church's constant need to be anchored in God's inspired Book--the Bible.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Modern Day Wake up Call, August 7, 2003

By 

D.P. "David Fahrenthold" (Dallas, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Great Evangelical Disaster (Paperback)

This was an excellent book showing the decline of the modern day church. Schaeffer shows that the church has lost its will to discern right from wrong. He does a terrific job critiquing what he calls the watershed of the Evangelical Faith. That is, the inerrancy of the Scriptures. Too many people are accepting people who call themselves "Evangelicals", but they are really are nothing but rank liberals.

This is a short pithy work, but it shows the sadness of the times we are in. I love the short history that Schaeffer gives. Since he was a Presbyterian, I love him talking about J. Gresham Machen (a brilliant defender of Orthodoxy). I also love him talking about how "Fundamentalism" got started. Most people see "Fundamentalism" as being anti-intellectual. But, historially speaking, "Fundamentalism" was actually an intellectual defense of Christian orthodoxy (it all started by a group of Christian scholars getting together defending historic Christian doctrine in book form, of which Machen was one of them).

This was a tremendous book for someone wanting to study how the Bible has been affected by liberalism and neo-orthodoxy. If it would have been a little more thorough, I would have rated it five stars.